Photocomposing machine for cylinders



June 2, 1970' A. B. POSCHEL 3,515,479

PHOTOCQMPOSING MACHINE FOR CYLINDERS Filed April 25. 1968 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 22 24 t 38 HOUSING /9 ,cl g CZY/LI/NDER oo //4 O I 0 2 o M o INVENTOR. ALFRED B. POSCHEL y ffl wwwez ATTORNEYS June 2, 1970 poscHE 3,515,479

PHOTOCOMPOSING MACHINE FOR CYLINDERS Filed April 25, 1968 3 I f 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FILM CARRIER l4 I |3 ISA HOIUSING MOVABLE I6A I,

A I i i PLATE in I PRESSURE I ROLLER \m I I 2a f. I Q MgVABLE A I l 1} -'M|RROR If I lm I I MOVABLE I PLATE I CYLINDER II COATED WITH A I H TIVE COAT- ROLLER II ISB INVENTOR ALFRED B- POSCHEL BY WM 0 6ZJVMM ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,515,479 PHOTOCOMPOSING MACHINE FOR CYLINDERS Alfred B. Poschel, Canterbury Court, 1220 N. State St., Chicago, Ill. 60610 Filed Apr. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 724,020 Int. Cl. G03b 27/04 US. Cl. 35586 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A photocomposing machine for copying a design from a relatively narrow width film onto the entire length of an elongated cylinder. The machine provides structure for copying the design from the film on the printing cylinder in a predetermined position, and then moving the film to a predetermined next registering position to thereby copy designs along the length of the printing cylinder. An elongated cylindrical transparent rod or tubing functions as alight beam intensifier to provide an adjustable thin beam of light to the film for copying the impression thereon onto the photosensitive coating of the printing cylinder.

The present invention is generally related to Poschel US. Pat. No. 2,766,719 for Apparatus for Coating Printing Cylinders, and Poschel US. Pat. No. 2,833,193 for Photo-Engraving Apparatus for Printing Cylinders, and to Poschel U.S. Ser. No. 569,735 for Photo- Engraving Apparatus for Printing Cylinders.

Various of the features of the machine of the present invention and those disclosed in the aforesaid patents and application are generally similar and hence such features will not again be described in detail, since reference can be made to the foregoing patents and application for an understanding thereof.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a step and repeat photocomposing machine for the processing of printing cylinders of varying lengths and diameters by the direct method. The direct method is understood as the procedure by which a design is directly copied on a cylinder which has a light sensitive coating and which can afterwards be developed and etched.

Various objects and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an end view of the structure according to the invention;

FIGS. 1A and 1B are fragmentary views of elements of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the printing cylinder of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged end view of the structure of the invention showing the means for condensing and intensifying a light beam; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a view of the light condensing and intensifying means in accordance with the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present photocompos- 3,515,479 Patented June 2, 1970 ice ing machine for cylinders includes a main stand 1, a motor stand, not shown, and a back stand 3.

The main stand 1 is arranged to handle the largest standard cylinders 11 to be processed and has two adjust- .able bearing supports 1A and IE on which the cylinder shafts 1 1A and 11B can rotate. In one embodiment the cylinder face 11 is 154 inches in length and 17 inches in diameter. The main stand also has two other cylinder supports 1C and 1D movable parallel to the cylinder. Supports 1C and 1D move on rails 5A and 5B and include bearings for rotatively supporting cylinders which may be shorter than cylinder 11.

The motor stand supports two variable speed motors of types known in the art, a speed reducer and an electric switch panel, not shown. The motor stand also supports the main drive assembly, not shown, for the cylinder which comprises a rigid casting on which two pillow blocks, not shown, are mounted. Bearings on the block permit the shaft of the drive assembly to rotate freely, and enable it to be moved forwards and backwards as needed. A chuck or clamp for the drive assembly connects to the cyllnder 11. Suitable clutch means enable the cylinder to be belt-driven at a high speed of rotation, or to be driven by a chain-drive at a slow rate of speed. All of the foregoing structure is well-known in the art.

The drive assembly includes a sectional dividing disk, not shown, with a stop pin. This permits the cylinder to be brought to the same initial circumferential position after each processing step to thus line up for the next step.

The back stand 3 is a relatively narrow stand connected to the back of the main stand, and is somewhat longer than the main stand. The two full-length rails 5A and 5B are fastened to the top of stand 3 and parallel to the cylinder 11.

Precision gear racks 6A and 6B are fixed on the outer sides of the rails 5A and 5B, and a precision register bar 6C is secured on the bottom of the gear rack 6A. The register bar 6C may be made in small sections and aflixed in a line. Register bar 6C has precise machine notches in which a locking device, not shown, fits exactly at the required inch or centimeter position. Round holes could be used instead of the notches. A scale, not shown, placed adjacent the register bar is numbered in exact inch or centimeter readings.

A movable base 7 is provided to move on top of the rails of the back stand 3. A gear shaft 8 and a hand wheel 8A are mounted on the base with the gears of the gear shaft meshing with the gear racks 6A of the back stand 3. The gear shaft is also provided with a sprocket 8B. If desired, the sprocket can be connected with a drive chain, not shown, to a suitable motor to move the base by electric power, instead of manually.

The width of the base 7 is the same as that of the back stand, but its length is only about one-fourth the length of the stand, this permits the base 7 to be shifted to different positions on the stand. 'Dwo pointers, not shown, are attached to the base and they register the position to which the base is moved along the stand.

The above-mentioned locking device is also fixed to the base, and an associated lever thereon permits the locking device to be securely locked into the notches of the register bar at a predetermined position.

Two rails, only one of which, namely, rail 10, is shown in FIG. 1, are fastened transversely to the cylinder axis on the upper side of the base. The rails extend beyond the front and the back of the base. Gear racks A are fixed to the sides of these rails for purposes to be explained.

The movable base 7 supports a films holder and lamp housing carrier 14 which is of a precise construction. The carrier 14 is formed by two, spaced upright, L-shaped plates 14A, one only being shown in FIG. 1, which are connected by several parallel cross bars, not shown, to form the body of the carrier. Two of the connecting bars have bearings, not shown, which ride on the cross rails 10 of the base and permit the carrier to be moved toward and away from the printing cylinder 11. The carrier is provided with a gear shaft 18 with gears on either end (one gear 18A being shown in FIG. 1). The gears 18A mesh with the gear racks 10A fixed on the cross rails 10 of the base. A hand wheel 20 affixed to shaft 18 permits movement of the base 7 toward and away from cylinder 11. The gear shaft 18 includes ratchets, not shown, which cooperate with pawls, not shown, fixed to the carrier sides to provide a locking device when the carrier 14 is moved to an operating position.

A frame 22 is placed in front of the carrier 14. Frame 22 is about the same height as the carrier, but is somewhat longer. This frame 22 is supported by bearings which ride on top of a cross rail, not shown, which is mounted between the sides 14A of the carrier 14.

Frame 22 is movable through gearing, not shown, relative to carrier 14 and parallel to the cylinder 11 a short distance to the right or left. The vertical position of the frame is established by means of sets of bearings between which the frame 22 can slide.

Precision micrometers, not shown, may be placed on each side of the carrier 14 such that the tips of the micrometer screws touch the edges of the frame 22 and thereby limit and determine the sidewise position of the frame. The normal position of the frame 22 corresponds exactly with the full inch or centimeter position of the locked base 7 and carrier 14. Therefore, when a fractional inch or centimeter position is required, the micrometers are set accordingly and the frame 22 can then be moved from the zero center position to the required fractional position.

Brackets 24 are aflixed to the frame 22 and have bearings in which the shafts 36 of an upper 38 and a lower 40 film holder bar can easily turn. Both these film holder bars include a fiat machined area 38A, see FIG. 1B, wherein a number of spaced centering pins 38B are located. The centering pins mate with corresponding holes formed on the film.

Suitable round spring clips, set into grooves on the bars, have a gap, and the spring clips can be turned over the edges of film to hold it from slipping off the hook when the bars are turned for winding the film. A round rod, not shown, is positioned to bear against the upper film holder bar 38. The shafts of the bod turns on bearing-s which are set into a suitable slot to let the rod rise or lower in accordance with the increasing or decreasing diameter of the film held in the film holder bar 38.

Means are provided for determining the angular position of the film holder bars 38 and 40 such as by dials which can be held in position by pins, not shown, and

these pins then secure the bars 38 and 40 at a set point.

.This is particularly important for the lower film holder bar 40 because it must position the fihn at the same initial point at the start of each processing operation.

Qingfwhich mesh 'with the gears of a sprocket and chain drive mechamsm 42 which connects the upper and the 4 lower film bars and functions to rewind the film on the lower bar 40 after the film has passed a pressure roller 15B during the rotation of the cylinder.

Refer now also to FIG. 3. Within the sides 14A of the carrier 14, two pairs of spaced plates 16A and 16B ride on bearings in a direction toward and away from the printing cylinder 11. The front ends of the plates 16A and 16B carry hearings in which the vertically spaced shafts of two pressure rollers 15A and 15B turn freely.

The plates 16A and 16B are spaced apart a sutficient distance to leave about a two-inch space between the two rollers 15A and 15B. The plates 16A and 16B extend through an elongated aperture in the frame 22. The back end of the plates 16A and 16B are provided with strong springs, not shown, which hold and press against a suitable stop on carrier 14. This causes the pressure rollers 15A and 15B to force the film 13 into a close contact with the cylinder 11. Sufiicient pressure must be applied against the moving film 13 and the rotating cylinder, so that the film is pulled and unwound from the upper film holder 'bar 38, passed between the two pressure rollers 15A and 15B, over the cylinder 11 and then is rewound on the lower film holder bar 40.

The back part of the carrier 14 supports a lamp housing 19 which is a box-like structure for containing the source of light which may be a mercury vapor lamp 17. Lamp 17 shines its light rays through the film 13 in order to photograph the impressions from the film upon the photosensitive coating previously formed on cylinder 11, as is well-known in the art.

The method by which a design on an associated film is copied onto cylinder 11 requires that a light sensitive coating be applied to the cylinder and onto which a design can be copied, which design can thereafter be developed and etched. The machine of the invention is equipped with a spray coating device to conveniently and properly apply the light sensitive coating on the cylinder, as is known in the art.

Note that housing 19, and hence lamp 17, is movable in a direction toward and away from the cylinder 11 and that housing 19 is movable by carrier 14 in a direction parallel to the cylinder 11. The forward portion of housing 19 has its section nearest the cylinder angled inwardly and has an opening or slit 22A at its apex to permit a portion of the light beam to pass therethrough.

Further, lamp 17 is also movable within the housing 19 to provide an additional adjustment of the source of light relative to its position with the surface of the cylinder 11, to provide focusing adjustment for the light beam. A shutter, not shown, may be provided for closing opening 22A when required.

A pair of movable arms 21 are mounted to have a respective end thereof between suitable rollers, generally labeled 23, to be movable in a direction toward and away from the surface of cylinder 11. The other end of the arms 21 extend between the pressure rollers 15A and 15B and carry a cover or channel 28 within which is mounted a linear condenser comprising an elongated rod or bar 30. Brackets 29 may be provided on either end of the cover 28 for securely holding light condenser 30. An elongated narrow opening 32 is provided at the side of cover 28 adjacent the surface of cylinder 11 to permit light to pass therethrough.

A mirror 34 may be provided and attached to the arms 21 by any suitable means and angled such that an operator may view the operation of the system from a point above the upper pressure rollers.

The elongated rod 30 (see also FIG. 4) of optical glass or suitable plastic such as acrylic resins is mounted such as by brackets, not shown, within the cover 28. In accordance with the invention the rod 30 functions as a linear light condenser and as a light magnifier or intensifier, as will now be explained.

The light condenser and intensifier 30 is positioned to have its axis parallel with the axis of the cylinder 11 and,

as can be eseen, the rod is positioned to intercept the light beam from the lamp 17 which is directed to impinge on the film 13 and thence on the surface of the cylinder 11. The surface of the rod is, when in operation, positioned to be relatively close to the surface of the cylinder 11 and its adjustment is dependent on the focal point of the rod. In one embodiment the rod 30 is approximately 1 /2 inch in diameter; however, rods of other dimensions are equally useful and the position of the rod is dependent on the dimension of the rod and the angle at which the light rays emerge from the rod. The position of the rod 30 can be empirically adjusted to provide a thin narrow beam at the film and cylinder surface by movement of the rod closer to, or farther away from the surface of the cylinder.

Heretofore, in the prior art, a slit such as Opening 32 would be provided to narrow the beam of light which would impinge on film 13. When a cylinder with film rotated slowly to copy a design of the film on the cylinder, in those places where contact between the film 13 and cylinder 11 was less than perfect, the beam of light passed through the opening would tend to undercut or undercreep the film. The foregoing resulted in poor copying characteristics. The light condenser and intensifier 30 of the invention eliminates this problem and provides a means of providing a sharp, clear image copy.

The light of the mercury vapor lamp 17 which emerges from the opening 23 at the apex of housing 19 impinges along part of the circumference of rod 30. The light is condensed by the rod 30 into a narrow, sharply defined beam of a magnified, intense and even light across the full length of the condenser rod. The focal point of rod 30 is adjusted by moving supporting arms 21 toward and away from cylinder 11 as required.

As clearly shown in FIG. 1, the light which emerges from the opening 23 in housing 19 disperses to a beam of a width depending on the distance between the apex of housing 19 and condenser 30. The dispersed light beam then impinges on the curved surface of rod 30. Accordingly, the various parts of the beam will be angled into a line focus by the curved surface of the elongated rod 30' to provide a thin elongated beam of light, essentially a line of light extending parallel to the axis of cylinder 11, which light is caused to impinge on the film 13 and the surface of cylinder 11.

The direct copying of designs on printing cylinders in predetermined positions and by repeated steps requires a precise position registering system.

As mentioned above the base may be locked in positio corresponding to a full inch notch position. Varying design sizes may often require fractional inch positions to locate the design correctly on the printing cylinder.

Accordingly, and as mentioned above, the frame 22 is arranged to be separately movable a short distance to the right or the left to obtain fractional inch positions for the design on the cylinder.

In order to find the correct inch location for the first processing step, the widths of the different design areas must be calculated and correlated with the cylinder 11. For example, the sum of the total widths of the different design areas is deducted from the cylinder length to obtain the margin space on the cylinder. Half of the margin figure is then added to the half width of the design area, the result gives the inch position for the first processing step. For uneven numbers and numbers with fractions of the width of the design, the frame 22 must be moved relative to the base 7 to the required position.

The inventive machine also provides for processing a printing cylinder in sections, with short films. For this purpose the machine is equipped with an angular dial means including a suitable stop pin, not shown, which serves to locate the periphery of the cylinder in the same initial position and line-up for the repeated processing steps.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for directly copying impressions from film by repeated steps in predetermined and registering positions on light sensitized cylindrical surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

means for supporting said cylindrical surface;

means for rotating said surface at variable and controlled speeds;

a film holder;

light source means;

a combined carrier for said film holder and said light source means;

means for moving said combined carrier along the periphery of said cylindrical surface;

means to lock said carrier in a selected position;

means to bring said film in a peripheral contact with a portion of said cylindrical surface;

means for urging said film to follow the moving cylindrical surface along a line of contact; and

a linear light condenser interposed intermediate said light source and the portion of the film adjacent said cylindrical surface for projecting and focusing a narrow beam oflight from said light source through said film onto the sensitized cylindrical surface, said focused light beam being narrower and more intense than said light source due to the optical action of said interposed linear condenser, and said condenser and the projected light beam extending the full width of said film.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical surface comprises an elongated cylinder.

3. A photocomposing machine comprising a rotatable printing cylinder, a main stand supporting said rotatable printing cylinder; a back stand connected parallel with said main stand, said back stand supporting a pair of rails mounted along its length; a movable base mounted on said rails for movement to predetermined positions; cross rails on said movable base afiixed transversely to said pair of rails; a holder for holding film, a linear light condenser, pressure rollers, a movable lamp housing; a movable L-shaped body structure carried on said cross rails for supporting said film holder, said linear condenser, said pressure rollers, and said movable lamp housing, said L-shaped body structure being movable towards and away from said cylinder whereby the limits of movement thereof enable said structure to accommodate cylinders of various diameters to print thereon.

4. A step and repeat photocomposing printer comprising a rotatable printing cylinder, winding and unwinding mechanism for film, pressure rollers, said pressure rollers being spring loaded and pressing against the back of the associated film and against the cylinder thereby forcing the film to follow the rotating cylinder to controllably actuate and time said film mechanism relative to the rotation of said cylinder, a horizontally adjustable frame, upper and lower holder bars for holding film, said bars being affixed to said frame and each of said bars being adjustable, said frame having an opening therein for permitting said pressure rollers to pass therethrough to contact the film.

5. A step and repeat photocomposing printer comprising a rotatable printing cylinder, winding and unwinding mechanism for film, pressure rollers, said pressure rollers being spring loaded and pressing against the back of the associated film and against the cylinder thereby forcing the film to follow the rotating cylinder to controllably actuate and time said film mechanism relative to the rotation of said cylinder, a horizontally adjustable frame, upper and lower holder bars for holding film, said bars being affixed to said frame and each of said bars being adjustable, said frame having an opening therein for permitting said pressure rollers to pass therethrough to contact the film, and further including micrometer means for effecting precise horizontal adjustment of said frame.

6. An apparatus for producing impressions from an associated film upon a light sensitive cylinder comprising, illuminating means spaced from the cylinder and arranged to be moved toward and away from said cylinder to produce a light beam to be directed onto said cylinder, pressure means operatively contacting said cylinder for applying a film portion uniformly over a portion of the light sensitive cylinder, at light condensing and intensifying element interposed between said illuminating means and light sensitive cylinder and movable with said illuminating means, the light condensing and intensifying element being spaced from said light sensitive cylinder adjacent the area of film application thereof to produce an intensified, condensed essentially linear light beam which is directable onto at least a portion of the film applied to the cylinder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Patience et al. 355-110 XR JOHN M. HORAN, Primary Examiner R. L. MOSES, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

